About

In 1986 Steve started to play guitar at the age of 12, left-handed, but grew impatient and frustrated with the instrument, instead learning to play piano. A few years later when he was 15, he picked up his sisters classical guitar which was right-handed, and took to it much easier.. despite being left-handed.

After hearing his main influence Jimi Hendrix on the song ‘Voodoo Chile’ in 1991, he decided to learn to play guitar much more seriously. After a massive phase of learning Beatles songs, heaps of Eric Clapton, Cream and Pink Floyd, and eventually mastering Jimi Hendrix’s style, he got heavily into instrumental rock guitarists like Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, and the mighty Yngwie Malmsteen.

Steve spent a lot of time learning blues/rock soloing and developing his wide vibrato, and phrasing, reminiscent of Gary Moore, and Ritchie Blackmore.

Throughout 1992-4 he would learn by ear, and transcribe these artists and read everything about theory, scales/chord harmony, and as a result for the next few years, Steve got into bands like Yes, Rush, and Dream Theater.. also Frank Zappa..

In 1995 he moved to London to study a diploma in electric guitar. At this point he was practising up to 8 hours a day from 1995-2001, what many call wood-shedding. Soon realising that just being able to play well wasnt enough to make a living from music, he set about learning as many songs as he could.

Whilst at the college, Steve learned all he needed to be able to play other peoples music, and more importantly, write his own.

Whilst playing in many bands and duos around London, Steve learned the hard way, how to get ‘gig tough’ picking up lots of useful real-world musicianship that shaped him into the musician he is today..

Upon graduating in 1996, he began teaching professionally both privately and in schools and colleges, holding long standing peripatetic teaching posts at various 6th form colleges and universities around Hertforshire. He soon settled upon a healthy roster of private pupils, who remained loyal and persevered..

Steve took to touring with many bands throughout his time in London, depping with any bands who needed him, and learning as many songs as possible, in the hope that their styles and song writing techniques would rub off.

To this day, Steve continues to remain a student of the guitar, learning jazz, classical, and country and continuining his own studies further, but however much he tries to write in other styles, he will first and foremost be a rock musician, forever drawing on his main influence that got him into playing guitar in the first place.. Jimi Hendrix.

Steve also embraces technology, and nowadays much prefers being solo, making up all his own backing tracks at his home studio, which also double as great learning tools for students.

A notable addition to his guitar playing, in recent years, has been Steves lead vocal work. Whereas before in bands, Steve used to do backing vocals, nowadays, he can handle all guitar and vocal duties himself, which has just been a natural progression for Steve..